At least you got it done!
So the people that mailed in their passports for inspection how do they inspect it if it’s sent in? Don’t they have to look at the passport picture and the face of the person requesting the inspection?
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Argh! Every time I try to pay for the application using my UK debit card, it says “Transaction failed. You have not paid successfully. Please refer to the error message “{0}”. Check your card machine, financial account, chip financial card , or card reader.” Has anybody else had this problem?
Please take the following with a lot of salt, because it has been a long time for me and my memory is hazy: I seem to remember something like having two different ways (links) for credit card payment - one for TW credit cards, another for foreign ones. Maybe check if you are using the correct payment link?
Yes, you’re right. There are several payment options, but with credit cards specifically, one for local and one for foreign.
I’m guessing that I’m being blocked because I’m using a debit card instead of a credit card. This used to happen sometimes, like, a decade ago or more, but it’s been so long that anywhere (in any country) hasn’t accepted a debit card that I’ve had no reason to apply for a credit card. So I just applied for a credit card (which, thankfully, only took a few minutes to do), which should arrive within five to seven days. So, hopefully, that will work.
In the meantime I’ll try calling the office in Taiwan to see if there’s another way they can accept my payment so I don’t have to wait another week, but I’m guessing there won’t be.
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“Credit card” for online payments is usually a portmanteau term for any Visa/Mastercard, including debit and prepaid. I recall using a Wise Mastercard, which can be considered a debit card, back when I applied for GC and it worked. Maybe you can try with another card or borrow a relative/friend’s card and then pay them back? I wouldn’t go through the hassle of applying for a credit card when the reason might be the bank and not the card itself 
I had no exemption from this
fwiw I had something a little wonky happen when I paid for my application. I can’t remember the exact details, but I know it seemed like my payment didn’t go through but it also was clear that my application was accepted. So I was almost wondering if there had been a glitch and my application was free. A few days later my payment processed and showed up on my credit card.
My mom also just applied a few weeks ago and she too had issues making payment. She said she tried a number of times over multiple hours before it finally worked.
fwiw, if you’re able to apply for an Amex card, they issue you your card number immediately for online purchases. Not sure it’s worth doing instead of just waiting til you receive the card you did apply for.
Oh really? So as a gold card holder you had to go get a health certificate before you could enter Taiwan? @yam did you have to do this?
@Chris59 any update on your end? I applied pretty soon after you and my application’s pretty similar, so I’d be interested in any update on how long this takes.
Moved to “Consulting with Ministry of Science” today.
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Nice! Best of luck!
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My husband has a gold card. We are in the US. When we apply for the Resident Visa for our kids, does anyone know if we need to bring them to TECO in person? Or can we just bring their documents without bringing them?
No, I definitely did not do a health check. The resident authorization certificate you get after passport submission is all you need to enter Taiwan and pick up your gold card.
edit: well, and your PCR test, and quarantine details…but that stuff keeps changing anyways.
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They don’t need to be there, I did this for my kids.
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Visa or MasterCard? Which bank?
I didn’t bring the form I was specifically told to print out in advance
It was a slightly frustrating experience
I think the question there is about dependants? Has anyone needed a health check for their kids or spouse?
I answered about dependents a few posts back:
Well, I’ve already applied for the credit card now, and because it’s a credit card that doesn’t charge you to use it abroad (unlike my debit card), it was something I needed to get around to doing before going to Taiwan anyway. According to the email I received, it will take five to seven working days to receive the credit card, so it isn’t that long to wait. But, yes, if it ends up being a problem with the bank and not the card, that will be very frustrating.
So far, my payment hasn’t gone through, but I’ll keep an eye on it while waiting for my credit card to arrive. Thanks!
Amex isn’t listed as one of the credit cards they accept.
Visa card from NatWest
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fair enough! But the frustration was 0% related to going to Fedex to print. That was a minor risk that I lost essentially nothing on since I would have been doing that anyway.
My frustration was due to:
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TECO Miami not answering my question three times about what items I needed to bring for my passport submission, nor answering the phone when I called
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Them letting me into the office then walking away from me without a word spoken and making me wait 20 minutes before coming back to ask me what I was doing there
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Them not being aware of my appointment
It is my fault that I didn’t see the requirement to bring the physical form (I had a digital copy on my phone and so did they since I had emailed it to them long ago) so I only realized I needed to print it out to bring it when someone on this forum told me the day before, adding that the TECO printed it out for them. Hence my calculated risk which doesn’t bother me at all. Just the waiting and lack of communication made it slightly frustrating.
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I too was convinced of that but the TW office was equally insistent that they needed to see the legalised medically certified proof before issuing a resident visa (sticker in passport) including covid special entry permission. I think they did not fully understand the pdf thing at that time, spring 2020. Things may have moved on since then. I do believe it was helpful at the airport check in because the agent was searching in great detail for that particular statement to satisfy the checklist of requirements before issuing boarding pass